At the start of a new year my brothers and I outline our goals in the following categories: physical, mental, spiritual, relational. Once we pick one or two specific goals that we want to achieve in each category, we make a plan, an outline, a roadmap on how we are going to reach them by the end of the year. We share the goals with one another and then get to work.

This is something my parents had us doing since I was 10 and it is something we will do until we die.

As we approach a new year I’m going to write a few thoughts on each category. If you have specific practical questions on how to set goals and how to achieve them, then ask in the comments and I’d be more than happy to try and help.

A few thoughts this morning on the physical, the body.

Your Body.

Running on the Guelph Country Roads

Your body is an amazing thing and it is capable of doing more than you can imagine.

Your Spirit can’t get tired, only your body can. When you get tired it is because your body is getting tired.

The relationship you have with your body requires both time and effort. There are no shortcuts around it. It requires your attention, your commitment and your focus.

It doesn’t require much, but it does require daily repetition. Through a long evolutionary process, your body has been designed to do two things: run and jump. Anatomically, this is what your body is designed to do; this is what it needs to be doing. Obviously it is important to perform other activities, but only running and jumping are required.

When someone sees you, your body is the first thing they notice. Of course, it is not entirely who you are. It’s just the outside of the house. It’s just the cover of the book. But the outside of the house is often a good indication of what is inside the house. The outside of the book often determines whether or not we will read it.

The outside reflects the level of commitment, focus and dedication, of the person living inside.